SOME INTERESTING FILMS

I couldn’t find a suitable forum for these films, so I just hung it onto my old blog hoping that marquetry interested folks would still be subscribed. The first film and part of the second film looks to be made in the early 70’s and is regular woodworking, but there is a marquetry part that I think you will find very interesting and entertaining, particularly the scroll sawing machine which is touted as an improvement to the chevalier, but I doubt that. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You can find them all here

10 comments so far

Those are very cool videos Mike. I’ve seen them before, likely posted here.He says that the frame saw is an improvement over the marquetry donkey. There seems to be some variation on the meaning of the term “donkey” though as I think it was first used for the rig shown in Roubo’s books which lacked the saw frame. It was just a bench with foot operated clamping jaws for holding a veneer packet while it was cut with a hand fret saw. If this is what he refers to, both the frame saw and the chevalets are improvements on it.Patrick has one of these at ASFM. You can see him using it hereJust click the “Blackburn videos” link at the bottom.

They are handy for large packets, like backgrounds that are cumbersome and heavy to hand hold in the chevalet, but I personally, don’t like working bent over. That’s one thing I really like about the chevy.

Yes, I didn’t think about the back, but it must be a big advantage and also your eyes are much closer to the workpiece. It was fun seeing those guys work in what looks like pretty humble surroundings while turning out such beautiful work. I especially liked their mix of handwork and machine work. It all seemed so rational to me. It brought back fond memories of when I worked and lived on the Shetland islands in 1974/75, just a different dialect and a different whiskey.

Mike, You led me on a wonderful woodworking journey this evening. It was so neat to watch these brothers doing things in a “traditional” way; part old school, part using machine tools but doing something very old school in design and materials use. I am in awe of guys like this just pushing ahead in a modern world by doing what they know how to do. Goes to show there is more than one way to accomplish a similar outcome. This is one of the things I have alwyas looked at in the travels I have been able to make. How people solve similar problems in entirely different ways. It’s just so fascinating.

Sadly all the main characters in that programe are all dead. They lived in a small vilage a few miles north of where i live. Sadly at that time i was more interested in car customising than woodworking. I did get to know Charlie later in life. A nephew of thirs (not featured in the programe) teaches marquetery. I had the pleasuer of attending two of his courses. Charles was in attendence. They were and the nephew all very unasuming people. Also in the Hands series was a cooper called Ned Gavin (sadly no longer with us). he lived about 5 miles east of where i live. Silversmiths,potters,curraghs(leather covered small boats) and hurleys (the national spot) were also covered. They general entertainment programmes shown in the early 80’s.Thank you Stefang for finding this material.Joe.

Ken My take on this was exactly the same as yours. Each place has it’s own logic based on available resources, skills and the particular culture they live in. We should appreciate this diversity because that is what makes the world such an interesting place.

Joe Thanks for filling us in on the background. It is about 36 years ago, so not too unexpected as only one of the brothers seemed relatively young. Nonetheless it is sad they are no longer with us.

Thanks for posting these videos. The techniques employed are beautiful in their simplicity. The mix of traditional methods with some modern time saving equipment seemed quite natural and this is what I aspire to as a woodworker. It confirms that you don’t have to have manufacturing facility in your basement to produce good work contrary to what the woodworking mags tell you. Paul Sellers has been a link to this type craftsmanship for me, I’m happy to find more. Thanks again.

mantwi I couldn’t agree more. A combination of hand skills/tools and labor saving machines makes for some very enjoyable woodworking. I loved watching Paul Sellers building his workbench with only hand tools except for some very minor power hand drill work.